Archive for September, 2009

Free Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar To Be Held On October 24, 2009

Sep 24

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, City of Milwaukee, Seminars | No Comments

On Saturday October 24, 2009 from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm at the UWM Union Ballroom the UW-Milwaukee COAST and the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services will be offering a free landlord-tenant law seminar to the public.  This seminar is NOT restricted to just landlords and tenants in the UW-M area.

On behalf of the AASEW, I will be presenting a portion of the seminar on the topics of causes for eviction, notices terminating tenancy and the eviction process.  Additional topics that will be covered include applicant screening, rental documents, management of rental properties, fair housing issues, DNS inspection process, and the role of law enforcement.

For more detailed information regarding who the presenters will be and how to register please refer to the attached flyer.

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UPDATE ON MILWAUKEE’S PROPOSED MANDATORY RENTAL UNIT INSPECTION PROGRAM

Sep 23

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in City of Milwaukee, DNS, Legislation, Mandatory Rental Inspections / Landlord Licensing | 1 Comment

A friend of mine was at a meeting this morning with the City of Milwaukee’s Budget Director and learned some more information on the City’s proposed mandatory rental unit inspection program.

First, the proposed ordinance is in the final stages of drafting and will be released in the near future.

Second, it will be a 5 year pilot program in the UWM area only.

Third, there will be a fee of $40 per landlord and a $35 per unit inspection fee.

Fourth, the pilot program must be approved by the city’s common council each and every year in order for it to continue.

Fifth, if a rental unit passes its 1st inspection then the unit will receive a 4 year compliance certificate and will not need to be reinspected until the 4 years expires.

NOTE:  MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS NO LONGER ACCURATE – TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE STATES GO TO MY NEW POST ON THE SUBJECT.

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One Person’s Attempt To Spread The Word About Milwaukee’s Proposed Mandatory Rental Inspection Program (a.k.a “Landlord Licensing”)

Sep 21

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in City of Milwaukee, Legislation, Mandatory Rental Inspections / Landlord Licensing | 2 Comments

A fellow attorney friend of mine forwarded a pamphlet/flyer/handout that he saw on the east side of Milwaukee.  The UWM area is where the city plan’s to begin its mandatory interior inspections of rental units (a.k.a  ”Landlord Licensing”) program assuming that the ordinance is passed by the common council.  The handout should definitely make tenants living in that area give some thought to the city’s latest attempt to infringe upon their rights.  The handout raises some good issues that I did not address in my earlier posts on this topic on September 10, 2009 and September 14, 2009.

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Public Hearing on AB 340 (Proposal to Restrict CCAP Access and Information) to Be Held on October 1, 2009 in Madison

Sep 18

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in CCAP, Rep. Marlin Schneider, Screening Tenants | No Comments

For those of you following my blog, you are well aware of my thoughts on State Rep. Marlin Schneider’s new legislative proposal to restrict access to and limiting information contained on CCAP (Consolidated Cort Automation Programs).  Schneider’s proposed legislation is referred to as AB (Assembly Bill) 340.

In fact, Patrick McIlheran of the Milwaukee Jornal Sentinel just wrote an article that addressed how AB 340 will hurt landlords.

AB 340 is currently in the Committee on Criminal Justice and that committee has just announced that a public hearing on AB 340 will be held on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 10:15 am at 328 Northwest of the State Capitol Building in Madison.

If you can attend this hearing please consider doing so.  If you are unable to attend then please be sure and voice your opinion on this proposal to your state representative and/or senator and the members of the Committe on Criminal Justice.

We landlords will be at a great loss if we lose our access to CCAP  or are only able to receive certain information from CCAP.

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WTMJ News Radio Discusses Proposed Legislation That Will Restrict Access To and Limit Information Contained on CCAP on Charlie Sykes Radio Show

Sep 17

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in CCAP, Rep. Marlin Schneider, Screening Tenants | No Comments

Thursday, September 17, 2009 was quite a good PR day for landlords.  Not only did the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel commentator Pat McIlheran publish a very good article criticizing the state and the city of Milwaukee for not treating  landlords like second class citizens but later that same morning Charlie Sykes spent a good amount of time discussing something near and dear to a landlord’s heart — CCAP

Sykes spent a large portion of his final hour discussing State. Rep. Marlin’s Schneider’s latest attempt to restrict access to CCAP and to limit the information contained on CCAP.

If you would like to listen to or download the podcast of Sykes’ discussion of this topic click here and then click on the entry entitled “Sykes Show part 3 – Thursday 9/17/09″

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“Landlords Feel The Loathing” – Accurate Article On Landlords’ Plight Published in Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Today

Sep 17

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in CCAP, DNS, Investing In Rental Property, Legislation, Mandatory Rental Inspections / Landlord Licensing, Rep. Marlin Schneider, Screening Tenants | 2 Comments

Several weeks ago I received a telephone call from Journal Sentinel reporter Patrick McIlheran.  Mr. McIlheran told me that someone had referred him to my blog and after reading some of the posts that he wanted to speak with me as he was in the process of putting together a piece about how the state and the city seem to make the business of landlording more and more difficult.  I was more than happy to assist Mr. McIlheran as this topic comes up regularly during my interactions with clients, and at the the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin meeting.  Truth be told, most business – not just rental property owners – wonder why the city makes doing business here so difficult and unappealing. Read the rest of this entry »

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DON’T MISS AASEW’S 10th ANNUAL LANDLORD TRADESHOW THIS WEDNESDAY (9-16-09)

Sep 14

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Seminars | No Comments

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW) is hosting its 10th Annual Tradeshow this Wednesday, September 16, 2009, from 12 noon – 7 pm.  If you are a rental propertyowner, manager or investor you will not want to miss this FREE tradeshow

It will be held at Serb Hall which is located at 5101 W. Oklanhoma Avenue.

The admission is FREE.

Food and snacks will be offerred.

Many vendors that support the rental housing industry will be on hand to answer your questions, such as Wisconsin Legal Blank Co.,, Giertsen Company of Wisconsin, Inc., Oak Creek Plumbing, Inc. and many more. 

There will also be many seminars on topics such as:  the new lead paint renovation rules, causes for eviction and notices terminating tenancy, how to collect tenant debt, nuisance properties, execution of writs of assistance (eviction) by the Sheriff, and how to benefit from 1031 exchanges and more.  The seminars will be followed by a Town Hall Meeting (no, it won’t be about health care) in which 3 members of the industry will answer your questions.

For more information and details please go to www.LandlordTradeShow.com